Tennesseans Warned To Prepare For More Potential Blackouts As Winter Approaches
Image Credit: Tennessee Valley Authority / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
A recently released report lists Tennessee as one of the states with the highest risk of an electricity shortage and blackouts, as residents across the state prepare for decreasing temperatures and the possibility of severe winter weather.
This would not be the first time in recent history that the state has dealt with an energy crisis. Last year, just before Christmas, many homes were forced to deal with rolling blackouts as extremely cold temperatures placed too much demand on power grids.
Former U.S. Congressman Jim Matheson, who now serves as CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, says the issue is likely one that Tennesseans will deal with again.
“The problem is pretty basic: demand is growing and supply’s not keeping up, and it happened last year in Tennessee and surrounding states on Christmas Eve. Nine states had rolling blackouts. If there’s a cold snap, the risk is there again,” said Matheson.
A study completed by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation found that the state’s grid operator could lead to generators being non-functional if conditions become extremely cold during the winter months.
“We’re trying to sound the alarm because this risk gets worse and worse each year because demand is growing and we’re just not building enough electric generation capacity to keep up,” Matheson continued.
Matheson did note that the issue is not one that Tennessee alone is facing, and there are two reasons for the problem: power plants are being shut down while they are still functional and policies surrounding environmental effects of new builds are slowing down progress.
“I’m not saying get rid of environmental permitting, but let’s have some predictable, reasonable amount of time to decide whether projects can be built or not,” Matheson said.
Because it takes years to complete the building of a power plant, Matheson says the state needs to move forward with new plans in the very near future.
In the meantime, Matheson recommends that homes be prepared to deal with the blackouts that could potentially occur this winter by having batteries on hand to run simple items such as flashlights. He also says that, in a time of energy conservation, individuals can lower thermostats to the 60s and avoid using larger appliances such as washing machines.
TVA reports that last year’s blackouts cost the company approximately $170 million.
another attack on our energy by the soros/climate crazies. this is an intentional and manufactured problem.
I do believe that the most ridiculous statement I have read is that racism caused climate change in the south. .. SEE TDEC comments. Maybe if we stop funding China and other enemy states for all this “green” equipment nonsense and refuse WEF communist and socialist idiologies, we could well enjoy the God given supply of resources for the needs of the people.
You mentioned two important, undeniable facts: the latter – God, the Only ONE we can look to and safely trust, and the former – the results of ignoring His Presence and denying His Power and Love for us.
The problem is that the TVA is for all intents and purposes is the only electricity supplier in Tennessee and the greenies exert a lot of influence over its policy initiatives, a major one being the shutting down of its coal-fired power plants. So when TVA runs short on capacity and energy there are no other alternative utility electricity suppliers. But let’s just shut down all carbon-based power plants down and replace them with intermittent and unreliable power sources. I for one find rolling brownouts/ blackouts unacceptable.
A big “thank you” to the Chicken Littles within the TVA, their clapping-seal sycophants at SACE and other like-minded crackpot leftist non-profits funded with my tax dollars, and finally the tyrannical EPA for this dire situation! (And yeah, I’m familiar with what happened at the Kingston Fossil Plant and here’s my retort: SOLYNDRA; strip-mining of rare-earths; disposal of end-of-life solar panels and wind turbine blades. Care to go another round, greenies?)
It really is way past time for the Tennessee co-ops to band together, build their own power plants and start cutting ties with the feds, and yeah, TVA is “the feds.” In the meantime, individuals will install their own standby electric generators fueled with natural gas, LPG, gasoline or diesel, and none-too-few will go back to burning wood, wood pellets and yes, even coal for heat.
Well said. I totally agree.
The problem is that the TVA is for all intents and purposes is the only electricity supplier in Tennessee and the greenies exert a lot of influence over its policy initiatives, a major one being the shutting down of its coal-fired power plants. So when TVA runs short on capacity and energy there are no other alternative utility electricity suppliers. But let’s just shut down all carbon-based power plants down and replace them with intermittent and unreliable power sources. I for one find rolling brownouts/ blackouts unacceptable.
A big “thank you” to the Chicken Littles within the TVA, their clapping-seal sycophants at SACE and other like-minded crackpot leftist non-profits funded with my tax dollars, and finally the tyrannical EPA for this dire situation! (And yeah, I’m familiar with what happened at the Kingston Fossil Plant and here’s my retort: SOLYNDRA; strip-mining of rare-earths; disposal of end-of-life solar panels and wind turbine blades. Care to go another round, greenies?)
It really is way past time for the Tennessee co-ops to band together, build their own power plants and start cutting ties with the feds, and yeah, TVA is “the feds.” In the meantime, individuals will install their own standby electric generators fueled with natural gas, LPG, gasoline or diesel, and none-too-few will go back to burning wood, wood pellets and yes, even coal for heat.
The idiocy of promoting electric heat is the cause. A heating element is the WORST “use” of electricity.